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CATAPHRAX

Real Name: Cataphrax

Identity/Class: Sub-species of humanity (Deviant)

Occupation: Warrior, agent of the Priesthood of Lemuria

Group Membership: Priesthood of Ghaur;
    formerly Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation

Affiliations: Ghaur

Enemies: Ikaris

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Enigmo, "The Masked Mangler from New Jersey"

Base of Operations: Flame-Pits, Lemuria (place of death);
    formerly Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation, Madison Square Garden, New York City;
    formerly Lemuria (presumed place of birth)

First Appearance: Eternals II#1

Powers/Abilities: Cataphrax possessed superhuman strength, stamina, and durability typical of a high-tier Deviant warrior. His massive physique allowed him to go toe-to-toe with the Eternal Ikaris in hand-to-hand combat, demonstrating the brute power needed to engage even a near-immortal opponent. Though less refined than Ikaris in technique, Cataphrax's sheer resilience and raw physical force made him a formidable combatant.

    While operating among humans, Cataphrax concealed his true identity beneath the persona of "Enigmo," allowed him to move undetected through human society.

Height: Unrevealed (approximately 6'7" as Enigmo, 9'5" true Deviant form)
Weight: Unrevealed (approximately 350 lbs. as Enigmo, 900 lbs. true Deviant form)
Eyes: Red
Hair: None

History:

(Eternals II#1 (fb) - BTS) - Cataphrax was a powerful Deviant champion chosen by the Priesthood of Lemuria for a covert mission on the surface world. Disguised as the masked human wrestler Enigmo he became part of the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation.

(Eternals II#1) - Disguised as Enigmo, Cataphrax participated in a staged match at Madison Square Garden in New York City, where he was pitted against "Iceberg" Ike Harris, secretly the Eternal Ikaris.

    The unsuspecting audience believed they were witnessing a grudge match between two wrestlers, but as the bout intensified, Cataphrax took Ikaris with him to a concealed chamber beneath the arena, revealed to be part of a massive underground Deviant stronghold. There, Cataphrax shed his human disguise and revealed his true, monstrous form. His battle with Ikaris escalated, but the real objective soon became clear: Cataphrax was tasked with attaching a Deviant device to Ikaris for a purpose he himself was unaware of. Despite Ikaris's resistance, Cataphrax succeeded.

    After completing his mission, Cataphrax fled through a concealed tunnel system, boarding a high-speed Deviant rail-jet that returned him to Lemuria, the ancient Deviant capital beneath the Pacific Ocean. Upon arrival, he was hailed as a returning hero by the Deviant populace, cheered for his apparent success.

    However, during the ceremonial proceedings, Cataphrax was unexpectedly condemned by the priesthood. Despite his loyalty and triumph, he was declared "genetically unclean" and sentenced to death in the Flame-Pits. The cheers turned to silence as the crowd abandoned him. Heartbroken yet dignified, Cataphrax accepted his fate without resistance and calmly followed the guards, choosing obedience to the very system that betrayed him.

(Eternals II#1 - BTS) - In reality, Ghaur and the priesthood had been taking the best of the Deviants for years, condemning them to death in the Fire-Pits under false pretenses. Those chosen were secretly stored in coldsleep coffins while their minds wiped-clean to create an army of fanatics with which to one day challenge the Celestials.

(Eternals II#11 (fb) - BTS) - Following his sentencing, Cataphrax was preserved in suspended animation within the priesthood's secret laboratories beneath Lemuria.

(Eternals II#11) - After capturing Kro, Thena and Sersi, Ghaur decided to reveal the truth behind the Flame-Pits to Kro. During a tour of the secret chambers Kro recognized his friend Cataphrax among the many Deviants placed in cold-sleep coffins, his body intact but his mind entirely wiped by the priests' indoctrination process.

(Eternals II#12) - Sometime after freeing themselves, Kro and Thena returned to Cataphrax cold-sleep coffin. Fitted with a cranial control band, Cataphrax could only mumble fragments of thought in response to Kro's attempts to reach him, unresponsive and devoid of identity. Kro, unable to bear seeing his former ally reduced to a brainwashed weapon, pleaded for Thena to grant Cataphrax a more merciful end. Thena then killed Cataphrax with a powerful laser from her eyes while a mournful Kro swore to avenge him.

Comments: Created by Peter Gillis, Sal Buscema, and Al Gordon.

Cataphrax was part of the Deviant group profile in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe II#3 (February, 1986) and part of the Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation group profile as Enigmo in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe II#14 (October, 1986).

Cataphrax's headshot in the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe Deviants profile depicts him with a purple complexion, a notable contrast to his clearly green appearance in the comics themselves. This discrepancy was likely the result of the printing limitations of the 1980s, when overlapping inks and imperfect color separations often produced unintended blends and hues. In this case, the process emphasized a purple tone that was never intended by the original artists. Interestingly, when the material was later restored for omnibus editions, the correct colors were used. Similar coloring inconsistencies can also be found with the Stonians and the Sun People.

Thank you to Loki for providing the high resolution Handbook images.

Profile by MarvellousLuke

CLARIFICATIONS:
Cataphrax has no known connections to

Images: (without ads)
Eternals II#1, p27, pan1 (main image)
Eternals II#1, p15, pan2 (Enigmo)
Eternals II#1, p18, pan1 (fighting Ikaris)
Eternals II#1, p30, pan1&2 (condemned)
Eternals II#12, p4, pan7 (mindwiped)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe II#3 (Deviants entry, original and omnibus reprint)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe II#14 (Unlimited Class Wrestling Federation entry)

Appearances:
Eternals II#1 (October, 1985) - Peter Gillis (writer), Sal Buscema (pencils), Al Gordon (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Eternals II#11 (May, 1986) - Walt Simonson (writer), Keith Pollard (pencils), Danny Bulandai, Geof Isherwood (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Eternals II#12 (June, 1986) - Walt Simonson (writer), Paul Ryan (pencils), Sam de la Rosa, Al Williamson, Walter Simonson (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe II#3 (February, 1986) - Mark Gruenwald, Peter Sanderson (writers), Eliot Brown (pencils), Josef Rubinstein (inks), Mark Gruenwald, Howard Mackie (editors)
Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe II#14 (October, 1986) - Mark Gruenwald, Peter Sanderson (writers), Eliot Brown (pencils), Josef Rubinstein (inks), Mark Gruenwald, Howard Mackie (editors)
Marvel Atlas I#1 (November, 2007) - Michael Hoskin, Anthony Flamini, Stuart Vandal, Eric J. Moreerls (writers), Eliot Brown (pencils), Jeff Youngquist, John Denning (editors)

First Posted: 08/20/2025
Last Updated: 08/20/2025

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

Non-Marvel Copyright info
All other characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © 1941-2099 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. If you like this stuff, you should check out the real thing!
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Special Thanks to www.g-mart.com for hosting the Appendix, Master List, etc.!

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